Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A61223
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Some more sayings of Richard Stafford, a prisoner in Bethleham Hospital in Moor-fields. Part II
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Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing S5136; ESTC R13493
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6,178
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4
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See Dan. 11.21 as every Bramble comes short of and is less than the tall Cedars of Lebanon or the best Oaks of England In Truth I do not give much Heed to the uncertain Guesses of Men or Women as to future things and whither the Spirit of the Lord is now straitned or was only limited to such a Time Place or Generation I shall not now deliver my Faith and Knowledge herein There are some now adays who handle the Law and know not God Jer. 2.8 and these do call it Enthusiastick to speak of those things which God hath revealed unto us by his Spirit for the Spiritâ—â—â—…th all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 and though only their Sin and Ignorance and want of the Holy Spirit which makes them Reproach after this manner I have heard of a kind of Prophesie that about this latter Time the Parliament-men should be so earnestly and deeply involved in War that they should Fight till their Bowels gushed out which is recorded of Judas upon another occasion and yet they should be still so desperate and resolved that they will yet hold their Bowels in one Hand and a Weapon in the other to fight it out even to the very last Breath and utmost Power of Action But here if we do give heed to what may be gathered from the sure Word of Prophesie as from Jer. 37. 52. aforecited Ezekâ—â— And 〈◊〉 we do narrowly observe the Result and Tendency of things it may be so But then it will be surmised and said No matter if it should be so for hereby will be seen the Braveness of the English Magnanimity and Courage and they will Perish Honorably Whereas they are all along engaged in a Wrong and Unrighteous Cause which is Rebellion against God and then it is to dye in their Sins the consequent whereof is to be Miserable for all Eternity And though the worst Temporal Evil or Pain can be borne or endured because it will have an End Yet can thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee I the Lord have spoken it I will do it Ezek. 22.14 And this comes upon them because of their dishonest Gain which at this day is called their Interest and the Blood which hath been in the midst of them vers 13. which is now blasphemously called God's Giving them Victory over their Enemies for they speak evil of God and think him to be altogether such as themselves when they imputed that to him which his Spirit doth here say expresly that he smites his Hands a Token of Displeasure at it And though as yet they have the Love and Multitude of the People on their side whose Blood and Money they shed and give away yet at the End of Time these very People will hate and loath them for giving that to a vain account and sinful Purpose of destroying Mens Lives and Hazarding their Estates in which there will be certain Loss but no Benefit Whereas the same might have been given to the Poor or laid out in the Publishing of God's Eternal Truth which would have saved their Bodies and Souls and then they might have had a Treasure and Recompence in the Heavens 14. As on the one hand it is a sign of a weak and tottering Government in that so many Lords Bishops Judges and Five hundred of the chief Men of this Nation withal their Strength Wisdom and Riches are not able to defend it against a single Creature who is Poor Weak and Decrepit and who hath rather the outward Characters then he is inwardly and really thought of a Fool or Madman So it is hereby evident that God is on his Side and that he comes with the Word of his Truth Which if it is not always back and still Persecuted but if it may once have entrance into their Minds it is strong and will prevail for the Weakness of God is stronger than Men and the Foolishness of God is Wiser than Men. And truly themselves are sensible of as much in that my Body is imprisoned by the deceitful and unjust Man and the Vngodly Nation Psalm 43.1 doth so very cautiously and carefully avoid my Pleading my Cause before them or to suffer me to Read my Books and Papers in their Assembly As the Thief is ashamed when he is found so is the House of England ashamed They their Kings their Princes their Priests and their People are ashamed to have their Sin and Transgression of Unrighteousness and Perjury reproved and set in Order before them in the very same Place where it was committed 15. And though the Proud Men who are risen against Me and the Assemblies of violent Men have sought after my Soul and yet they do speciously give it out that I was sent here and am yet detained contrary to all Law and common Right And therefore the Makers of the Laws and the Asserters of the Rights and Liberties of the Nation should relieve me herein But they do Judge that I am not worthy to partake of any Favour or Benefit of their Government in that according to their Phrase I do so very much Oppose it Whereas my Petition and Appeal is according to the ancient Laws of this Kingdom and I have done nothing against or contrary to them But they now suffer Me to be kept here in Oppression and in a Place as it were of perpetual Imprisonment which the Law doth not adjudge unto before Inquiry Tryal and Conviction to preserve my Life as they say Yet in all this they have not set God before them Psalm 86.11 nor yet do they consider of the Superiority of his Law over their own mere Will and Constitutions for I having written the Great things of his Law and the Words of his Righteousness only and which I do Confront to their Consultations and Doings if it may be truly pronounced Id quisque Potest quod de jure Potest then I do boldly say that they cannot take away my Life And yet here it may be observed how their Tongue doth mutter Perversness and their Lips doth speak forth Rebellion for they are not only resolved to contemn God's Word and Commandment and to go on to do otherwise than that requires But they conceive Mischief and would bring forth Iniquity They would fain Act in that utmost Opposition and Persecution thereof For their Hearts are defiled with Blood yea they would make haste to shed the innocent Blood of him who doth only Publish and set God's Word and Commandment before them But I hope my God doth Rebuke them with a Glimpse and Opening and some Knowledge of that Endless Life we are all just entring into And throughout this God will come with Vengeance even God with Recompence and he will come and save Me. And if they should presume to take away my Life here or a Moment He will for their thus doing and for this Cause He will lay them in such a Conditition for evermore